Evaluation Question 2

1. How effective is the
combination of your
main product and the
ancillary texts?
BY CONNOR O’BRIEN

2. What were we aiming to achieve in our
main product?
The “Uses and Gratifications” theory can be applied to demonstrate our films main aim. This is to enthral
the audience by entertaining them. Our film is a thriller, based on the 7 Minute Theory. This is where the
main character, Rob Watson has seven minutes to discover how he died and is helped by having a series of
flashbacks which concludes his death at the end of the film. The series of flashbacks keeps the audience on
the edge of their seats and creates a sense of confusion and mystery as they struggle to foreshadow what
will happen next. We also used lots of cinematography (close ups, hand held shots, point of view shots,
over the shoulder shots), editing, sound and mise en scene to further grip the audience. This allows the
audience to focus deep into the film and forget about any worries or problems they have in real life. This is
also supports the “entertainment” part of the uses and gratifications theory.

3. An editing technique we used.
Close up
Over the shoulder shot
Point of view shot

4. Our final film poster
We all designed a film poster and put our ideas
together to create one final poster which we
thought was most appropriate for our film. We
used Adobe Photoshop as it allowed us to
create effective posters that helped to reflect
our film, for example by using character
images, effects on the images and texts, various
font types and sizes and also we were able to
create an effective background.

5. How does the poster reflect our film?
The font used for “7 Minutes” reflects a horror, violent type look. This
portrays our film as it is a thriller that involves death of the main
character and at times instils fear into the audience. By not revealing
the identity of the “Hooded Man” on the poster, represents the
mysterious and confused atmosphere that ascends throughout the
film and is also passed onto the audience. The red cross over the main
characters head suggests danger and death which helps to
foreshadow to the audience what will happen in our film. The circle
round the “Hooded Man” represents how in the film he is the target of
the main character (Tom Watson) as Tom uses the Hooded Man to
find out all the information that eventually leads to Tom’s death. “How
much time do you have left?” is a direct quote from the film which
sums up the story as Tom only has 7 Minutes to discover his cause of
death. The black background indicates how the film is dark and
mysterious as well as portraying the characters loneliness and fear.
Overall the poster shows continuity between itself and the film.

6. How effective is our poster in
promoting our film?
The “7 Minutes” title in the bright, horror style font will be the first thing the
audience sees. This instantly installs the idea of the 7 Minute title into their
heads. The use of the cross foreshadows to the audience that this character
maybe killed and the circle foreshadows that the hooded man will be
targeted. This provides the audience with the sense that the film is a thriller.
By using the images of the characters in the film, the mise en scene, body
language and the characters facial expressions can portray to the audience
what sort of personality and type of character they will be. This will help the
audience to represent with them when they watch the film. Our audience is
15-24 year olds therefore because they are able to see that the two main
characters are of a similar age to them they know the film will be
appropriate. The text used at the bottom of the poster gives our poster a
professional look. This will entice the audience into thinking that the film
will be of a high, professional standard. “How much type do you have left”?
gives the audience an insight into the storyline. The quote suggests that
one of the characters is on a mission and something bad will happen if they
do not succeed. This will attract the audience into watching the film as they
will be eager to find out what happens.

7. Similarities to other film posters
Both our film and Shutter Island are
thrillers that appeal to a similar audience
(15-24). Both posters have black
backgrounds which portrays a sense of
unknown and the use of font colour red
portrays death and danger. Both titles use
brightly coloured fonts which helps the
audience immediately relate to what they
will be watching. Also both posters use
character images to introduce the
audience to them and gives them a sense
of the type of personality and role they
may have in the film. The posters use
quotes that relate to the film. This gives
the audience the opportunity to gain an
insight into what the film is about but
also encourages them to go and discover
what the production companies mean
with the quotes by going to watch the
film themselves.

8. Our radio trailer
We created our radio trailer using audacity. We integrated quotes and music
from the film as well as a voiceover to help promote our film to the audience.
Our radio trailer is 30-40 seconds long. This means the audience is likely to
take all the important information in and is likely to remember it more than if
it was a minute etc. We used the radio trailer for the film “Gravity” to help us
identify the features we needed, such as sound effects, type of music, type of
voiceover and the information we transferred to the audience.
https://www.spreaker.com/user/9730009/7-minutes-
radio-trailer

9. How does our radio trailer reflect our
film?
The radio trailer begins with a significant quote from the film, “Oi, have you seen a
wallet?” This immediately gives a link between the radio trailer and the film which is
important in helping to attract the audience. The quote also gives the audience an
insight into what the film maybe about. A heart monitor sound effect is then used in
the radio trailer. This foreshadows to the audience that they can expect violence and
injury in the film. The voiceover includes lots of persuasive quotes such as “The most
anticipated short film of the year”. This provides the audience with the information that
our film is respected and of a high standard which will push them to go and see the
film. The rule of 3, “thrilling, gripping, breath-taking” gives strong connotations to the
audience that the film supports our intended genre of thriller and that the film is
exciting which would entice the audience into watching the film. The final dialogue
from the voiceover is “You don’t want to miss a second”. This directly relates to the
concept of our film as the main character only has 7 minutes to find out how he dies
and if he misses any second the mystery won’t be solved. The radio trailer ends with
the heart monitor going off which relates to our main character dying. This
foreshadows to the audience that they can expect death.

10. How effective are our two ancillary
texts?
Both the radio trailer and the film poster relate directly to the film by using
images of characters (poster), quotes from the film, sound effects (radio) and
effective font size, type and colour (poster) which relates to our genre, thriller.
Also, both ancillary texts use persuasive techniques such as “You don’t want
to miss a second” (radio) and “How much time do you have left?” (poster) to
entice the audience into wanting to find out more about the film therefore
encouraging them to watch it.